[LDView] LDView 4.4 Beta 5 test release

[Travis Cobbs]

I have posted a test release for LDView 4.4 Beta 5 to GitHub:

https://github.com/tcobbs/ldview/release...v4.4_Beta5

This release mainly contains bug fixes since Beta 4, along with a few new features. The biggest new feature is the ability to search in the Model Tree Dialog. Also, if edge lines are enabled, the model tree highlight has the edge lines for the highlighted element show through all other geometry in the model, so even a fully hidden element will still be visible.

For this release, the Windows versions are built using new versions of Visual Studio. The 64-bit version is compiled with Visual Studio 2019 (compared to 2015 before), and is no longer compatible with Windows XP. The 32-bit version is compiled with Visual Studio 2017, and should still be compatible with Windows XP.

The ChangeHistory.html file that is included in the release lists all of the changes since LDView 4.3. In the macOS version, ChangeHistory.html is in the dmg. In the Windows version, ChangeHistory.html gets installed to wherever you install LDView (C:\Program Files\LDView by default). I'm actually not sure where it goes in the Linux version. Please see my Alpha 6 announcement for a list of what I feel are the most important changes relative to LDView 4.3.

Please let me know about any problems you find. The preferred way to do that is with LDView's GitHub Issues tracker. However, if you do not want to create a GitHub account so that you can do that, you can reply to this message.

My hope is that this is the last beta release before an official LDView 4.4 release. (I know I said that for the last release, but unfortunately I made too many changes to be comfortable with a final release without one more test release.)

[N. W. Perry]

This release mainly contains bug fixes since Beta 4, along with a few new features. The biggest new feature is the ability to search in the Model Tree Dialog. Also, if edge lines are enabled, the model tree highlight has the edge lines for the highlighted element show through all other geometry in the model, so even a fully hidden element will still be visible.

Love this, it is tremendously helpful to be able to highlight edge lines! And the search is a nice bonus, too. 

[Travis Cobbs]

Love this, it is tremendously helpful to be able to highlight edge lines! And the search is a nice bonus, too. 

I'm glad it's appreciated.

Search tip: If you want to search for part numbers, it's probably best to first disable comment lines. A search for 3001.dat will then only provide hits on the actual 3001.dat model lines. Conversely, if you want to search for something like "tyre", make sure that comment lines are enabled.

[Gerald Lasser]

Love this, it is tremendously helpful to be able to highlight edge lines! And the search is a nice bonus, too. 

This is really nice!

small bonus would be to draw the respective condlines of the highlighted part as well.

[Travis Cobbs]

This is really nice!

small bonus would be to draw the respective condlines of the highlighted part as well.

I think that would be overkill. However, forcing edge lines to be enabled for the highlight (even if they're not enabled in the viewer) might be a good idea.

[Manfred Schaefer]

I have posted a test release for LDView 4.4 Beta 5 to GitHub:

https://github.com/tcobbs/ldview/release...v4.4_Beta5

This release mainly contains bug fixes since Beta 4, along with a few new features. The biggest new feature is the ability to search in the Model Tree Dialog. Also, if edge lines are enabled, the model tree highlight has the edge lines for the highlighted element show through all other geometry in the model, so even a fully hidden element will still be visible.

For this release, the Windows versions are built using new versions of Visual Studio. The 64-bit version is compiled with Visual Studio 2019 (compared to 2015 before), and is no longer compatible with Windows XP. The 32-bit version is compiled with Visual Studio 2017, and should still be compatible with Windows XP.

The ChangeHistory.html file that is included in the release lists all of the changes since LDView 4.3. In the macOS version, ChangeHistory.html is in the dmg. In the Windows version, ChangeHistory.html gets installed to wherever you install LDView (C:\Program Files\LDView by default). I'm actually not sure where it goes in the Linux version. Please see my Alpha 6 announcement for a list of what I feel are the most important changes relative to LDView 4.3.

Please let me know about any problems you find. The preferred way to do that is with LDView's GitHub Issues tracker. However, if you do not want to create a GitHub account so that you can do that, you can reply to this message.

My hope is that this is the last beta release before an official LDView 4.4 release. (I know I said that for the last release, but unfortunately I made too many changes to be comfortable with a final release without one more test release.)

Hello,

I have installed LDView 4.4 Beta 5 and after starting the program I am asked whether the Part Library is installed.


  Message_1.PNG (Size: 14.09 KB / Downloads: 40)


I answer yes and select the directory in which the parts are located and get the following error message



  Message_2.PNG (Size: 10.76 KB / Downloads: 40)

What is LDView looking for in the directory.

Before that I had LDView 4.3 and it found the parts. My operating system is Windows 7. 

Greetings

Manfred

[Travis Cobbs]

It wants the actual LDraw directory, which is the directory that contains the parts and p directories. This directory will usually be named ldraw (or LDraw or LDRAW). (In fact, LDView's automatic parts library update mechanism will only work if the directory is named ldraw.)

[Manfred Schaefer]

It wants the actual LDraw directory, which is the directory that contains the parts and p directories. This directory will usually be named ldraw (or LDraw or LDRAW). (In fact, LDView's automatic parts library update mechanism will only work if the directory is named ldraw.)

Hello Travis,



Thank you for your prompt reply.



I opened the 8464.mpd file in the LDView directory and got the following window. 






  Message_3.PNG (Size: 37.69 KB / Downloads: 34)



I can try to choose the correct directory which you can see in the picture below. The path is the same as the path named Base Path. It's a German Windows.




   


But the error still keep.


Have you any idea whats going wrong?


Should I deinstall and reinstall LDView?


Where does LDView make changes to the Windows system?


I only updated from LDView 4.3 to LDView 4.4 and before that it worked correctly.



Greetings



Manfred

[Travis Cobbs]

The P directory is missing from your LDraw directory, which means that it is corrupt and will not work. LDView requires the chosen LDraw directory to have both PARTS and a P subdirectories.

[Manfred Schaefer]

The P directory is missing from your LDraw directory, which means that it is corrupt and will not work. LDView requires the chosen LDraw directory to have both PARTS and a P subdirectories.

Hello Travis,

that was the reason.
Probably I moved the directory "p" unknowingly.  

Many Thanks. 

Greetings

Manfred